Christ-Centered Easter Ideas for the Whole Family

Hoping for some Christ-centered answers, I asked my kids what their favorite thing is about Easter. Their answers were:

Baby bunnies and chickies!

Everything’s turning green!

That we’re celebrating Jesus’ resurrection!

Baskets, egg hunts, dinner with family!

Well, at least I got ONE answer I was hoping for! These are all still good things we enjoy at Easter time, but why do WE really celebrate Easter? When my girls were little, I thought it was important to make them or buy them all a new dress for Easter. Where did that tradition come from? Who needs that kind of stress? Not me! We’ve done away with that tradition in our family. I’m not saying you need to as well, just that I have chosen to simplify and refocus the Easter traditions of my own little family.

Why does the Christian world celebrate Easter?

On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of His resurrection, we all get to be resurrected, too! Not only do we turn our thoughts to the miracle of His resurrection, but also to his great atoning sacrifice. His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane for each and every sin of each and every person who has ever lived upon this Earth!

This is quite mind-boggling for me, to try to imagine what my Savior must have felt. What great love He must have for me! Why? Why would He love ME enough to suffer, bleed and die for ME? I think the thing that makes His atonement so special to me, is believing that if I were the only person He needed to save, He STILL would have gone through it all, JUST FOR ME!!! JUST FOR YOU!!! Of course I want to celebrate that!

What is Resurrection?

According to ChurchofJesusChrist.org , “Resurrection is the reuniting of the spirit with the body in an immortal state, no longer subject to disease or death. ” This site is a treasure trove of information if you are seeking to learn more about resurrection, or anything else, for that matter! I encourage you to follow the link above and at least scroll through all the titles of the things you can learn!

The resurrection, of course, came AFTER His suffering and death. One of the scariest thing we mortals must face is death, yet He conquered it! And not just for Himself, but for EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!!! He has taken the sting out of death, with a sure promise that we will ALL live again! It is a gift He freely gives us, with no strings attached. NONE! We need not earn resurrection. It comes to us no matter what, no matter how we live our lives and what choices we make! There are no conditions, just an incorruptible, immortal body, free of charge! What an amazing gift!

Why should I follow Christ? Isn’t His free gift of Resurrection enough?

There is an even greater gift than being resurrected! The gift of exaltation; the chance to become like Him and our Father. THIS gift does NOT come without conditions. This gift is granted only to those who choose to lay aside every sin and fight tooth and nail to follow Him! It is a struggle, a daily battle against sin and selfishness. But it is most definitely attainable, for those who never give up! We will all make mistakes constantly, and that is why we need repentance every single day! Christ’s atonement makes this repentance possible! We must lay our burdens at His feet, and follow Him. It is such a pure and simple plan that even a child can grasp it! Simple, but definitely not easy!

Nathan Pacheco sings a song called Forever that chokes me up EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear it! I encourage you to turn up your volume, lay on your bed, or floor, or couch, or sit in a comfy chair and close your eyes. Let the music wash over your body and your spirit, and enter into the crevices of your heart. Feel the emotion and the power in the words and in the notes. It is one of the most beautiful songs I know of. It is a beautiful testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! I hope you enjoy it!

How Does Having a Testimony of Resurrection Help Us to Live without Fear?

Cute little Claire Ryann teaches us in this beautiful song how we can live without fear: through finding Peace in Christ! When have you ever felt fear and peace at the same time? I NEVER have! It’s either fear, or peace, not both. When we put our faith in Christ and trust Him, He blesses us with peace. He sends the Comforter, or the Holy Ghost, to be with us and bear us up in times of trouble, saturating our hearts, minds, and souls with His peace. When we feel this assurance of His presence and His love, fear flees, and peace rushes in to fill all the nooks and crannies of our hearts.

Having a testimony of the resurrection of Christ, and the resurrection He promises us, brings this peace into our lives. It is a testament of His love for us. When we know He loves us, we come to understand that we can do anything He requires of us, because we know He will be walking right beside us, through our trials and out the other side, past the finish line! What greater peace is there than that given to us by the Prince of Peace, Himself?

How Can I Teach My Family About Resurrection?

Easter Sunday is the perfect day to talk about the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection He promises us. Here are a few great ways to teach your family about resurrection:

Have a Resurrection Egg Hunt. I have used this egg hunt with my girls a couple of times and it really helps bring the true meaning of Easter to our home.

Include an “empty” plastic egg in your kids’ Easter baskets to remind them why we celebrate Easter (empty tomb), then take the time to explain the significance of it when they are wondering why they got any empty egg in their basket.

I hope you have found some helpful ideas to help your testimony of the resurrection and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, grow stronger so that your life will be filled with peace. I also hope that you have found some helpful ideas on how to make your family’s Easter more Christ-centered this year. Happy Easter!